BE not Best

My husband shucked the corn last week [what that really means is that he preached a great sermon, four times]. He’s introducing a yearlong emphasis on spiritual disciplines, and last weekend was about service.  I sat down all happy and smug because I thought I was pretty good at service and would have opportunity to pat myself on the back…..until he opened his mouth.  Great. 

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, 

but set an example for the believers 

in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

I Timothy 4:12 NIV

As he began teaching on this passage he explained that “set an example” means we must BE these things, not just do our best at them.  He told the story of how as a kid when they would play baseball outside, they would holler at one another to imitate a famous player’s batting stance – saying “BE……..(insert some great baseball player’s name here – this is seriously not my kind of story).  And try as they might, they could do their best to look like the player, but none of them could actually hit the ball like the player. 

I loved this teaching until I really thought it through - and realized that I can’t get this right on my own.  I can’t always be right in my speech, life, love, faith, and purity.  The mere thought of it makes me wanna run away screaming and mumbling bad words; I can’t do it.  And that’s exactly where He wants us and the reason that BE is so amazing here.  It literally means to be formed or made.  And when I can admit that I'm not all that, God can meet my dependence with the power of His forming strength.

As I was reluctantly stewing in these thoughts, I went back to our ladies retreat the weekend earlier.  One of the sessions hit hard with the truth that part of learning to dwell with God means that I must take off my insecurity and tendency to compare myself to others and put on the things He has made just for me.  We looked at Isaiah 51:9, where the people cry in their pain and misery, “Wake up God!”  They are worn out from life being stinky, feeling fed up that they are losing ground while their enemies are gaining it.  Then God answers them with Isaiah 52:1,  “Awake, awake [it’s almost as if He’s saying, You wake up!], put on your strength; put on your beautiful garments….” Could it be that we groan and complain to God, hurt that He's not where and how we want even while He has already lavishly provided every bit of strength we need?  

I think we often try to fit into the old irrelevant garments of our past, the ill-fitting garments that belong to someone else, the ridiculous costume of a fake life, the dirty garments of an unguarded life, or our spiritual birthday suits not wearing or BEing anything; not daring to put on something new and amazing.  God has given each of us spiritual garments of beauty and purpose.  HE enables us to BE the things in 1 Timothy 4:12, not just do our best to try; going to the party in dirty borrowed clothes.

So Wake Up!  

Don’t compare!

Don’t look back to the past in regret or longing!

Don't look forward to the future with fear and uncertainty!

Look up toward HIM.  Let Him dress you in the spiritual things He created perfectly to fit Your life and passions and His purpose and Kingdom.  

BE encouraged and BE brave!

Here you can link to Todd's blog and Todd's Sermon on Service

Here are some picture of me doing a One Gal Fashion Show at the Retreat, this is my version of illustration.  It's so scary, you're sorry you missed it, I know.

Pointing out a dirty spot (wearing filthy clothes), I picked this shirt up off my son's floor right before we headed to the retreat.
This was an authentic illustration - peeeyoooou.